Why are proposals so demanding on an organization? It is not the expense, per se, or the opportunity cost. It is what the proposal process demands of the participants.
Proposals are abnormal activities, unlike other projects, where deadlines can slip with only minor consequences. It is important to recognize this at the outset as we build a proposal team and set and communicate proposal ground rules.
First, we are often asking people who already have “day” jobs, families, medical appointments, volunteer commitments, and who have expectations regarding things like meals and sleep, and perhaps the occasional movie, to take on another job. The degree of work-related stress is already high–according to a recent report by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, it could account for more deaths in the United States than diabetes and kidney disease. Adding a proposal assignment to the list can constitute a bridge too far.
Consider what we ask these already over-taxed people to do: we are asking them (often people who don’t write for a living) to create specific types of content, under time pressure, in a prescribed format, often with no support.
Then, we criticize their work and ask them to rewrite text and re-draw graphics, again, under time pressure. Don’t under-estimate the intensity of the feelings that bubble up after spending many hours working on a proposal section, only to have it criticized. Our writing is very personal, and when someone critiques it, there is a natural and instinctive response, even for professional writers who know that criticism is the only way to improve.
Another, often overlooked, fact is that during the proposal process, people have much more accountability than normal. If they have not completed their assignment, it is visible to everyone and it affects everyone else on the team.
For all these reasons, assigning people to a proposal is like putting them in a pressure cooker. Some will thrive on the adrenaline and some will fall apart. The higher the heat, the more extreme the reaction in both directions, and both are dangerous. Emotional melt-down during the proposal affects everyone. For this reason, many organizations identify the adrenaline-driven proposal “heroes” who stay up all night and completely rewrite the draft and assign them to proposal duty on a regular basis. Ultimately, they burn out and start making mistakes, and others never learn the craft.
What can we do differently? We can’t change the unforgiving nature of proposal deadlines or the importance of compliance with complicated RFP requirements. What we can do is to recognize the abnormality of the process at the outset and optimize it to suit the players. Among the keys to success, all subjects for subsequent blogs, are: regular and consistent communication, feedback that does not feel like criticism, and respect for people’s personal commitments and their health.